It’s one of next summer most eagerly-anticipated blockbusters.
And it certainly looks like the big screen adaptation of The Lone Ranger will be action-packed given these latest on-set photos.
Dressed in Native America costume to play Tonto, Johnny Depp was seen wrestling with chains as he filmed an action scene with co-star Armie Hammer, who plays the Lone Ranger.
The actors were spotted filming a sequence in which they are chained to railway line, against a blue screen on location in Los Angeles.
Johnny, 49, and Armie, 26, started shooting the adaptation of the Fifties TV show with director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer on location in New Mexico in February.
The Lone Ranger first appeared in a radio show in 1933, before being transferred to the black and white TV show in 1949, starring Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto.
There were two previous attempts at Lone Ranger films in 1981 and a TV movie in 2003, but they weren’t received as well as expected by fans.
The film has been a long time coming; Columbia Pictures and Classic Media announced their intention to make a Lone Ranger film in 2002.
After years stuck in development, Disney announced in 2008 they had cast Depp to play Tonto.
Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Wilkinson and Ruth Wilson also star.
Depp has previously revealed he has Native American heritage.
He said: ‘My great-grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.’
After he was cast as Tonto – a fictional member of the Comanche Nation, he was officially asked to become a member of the real-life tribe of the same name.
President of Americans for Indian Opportunity LaDonna Harris said: ‘Johnny is reprising the historic role of Tonto, and it seemed like a natural fit to officially welcome him into our Comanche family.
‘I reached out, and Johnny was very receptive to the idea. He seemed proud to receive the invitation, and we were honoured that he so enthusiastically agreed.’
The film is expected to be released in the summer of 2013.
by Helena Bryanlith
